In this episode of FocusED, Dr. Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio join Joe and TJ from TheSchoolHouse302 to discuss their book, Lead It Like Lasso.

Nick mentions that watching Ted Lasso resonated deeply because of Ted’s focus on helping people become the best versions of themselves—a core principle he witnessed firsthand while working alongside Dr. Stockman. Grounding their work in company culture, Dr. Stockman mentions that living out core values is the true engine behind organizational success, far outstripping basic tactical plans.

Addressing one of the show's most famous lessons, she stated that leading with curiosity and listening intently allows school leaders to look past assumptions and understand every angle of a situation.

Building on that idea, he said that organizations often fall to the level of their systems rather than rising to their goals, making clear that daily practices are essential to upholding values. Finally, Nick mentions that academic completion alone isn't enough, emphasizing that students need self-reflection, self-awareness, and personal narrative skills to truly be ready for life beyond graduation.

This episode of FocusED is brought to you by Bullseye. If you're doing walkthroughs without the support and tracking of Bullseye, head to bullseye.education/302 to schedule your sponsored Lunch and Learn today.

In this episode of Focused, hosts Joe and T.J. from The Schoolhouse 302 sit down with Dr. Sharon Ravitch, Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. She shares insights on her book Leaders as Architects of Change, explaining how educational leaders can navigate constant disruption, build real-time data capacity, and practice self-regulation in high-stakes environments.

In this conversation, Ravitch breaks down what it means for educational leaders to act as true architects of change. She explains that because the era of relying purely on precedent is over, leaders must focus on emergent design strategies to build resilient ecosystems for the future, moving past off-the-shelf solutions in an increasingly complex world.

Sharon emphasizes the power of collecting rapid-cycle, local data within school buildings. Rather than waiting for heavy annual surveys or lagging external metrics, she highlights how portable approaches—like short observation templates, one-minute check-ins, and student shadow sessions—provide actionable insights for real-time decision-making.

Addressing the rapid integration of emerging tools like AI, she mentions that districts must build their own data streams to reflect the actual experiences and needs of their staff and students. She stresses that gathering this feedback isn't about surveillance, performance evaluations, or confirming pre-existing biases, but rather about perspective-taking and humanizing the workplace.

When navigating high-stress disruptions, Sharon advises leaders to distinguish carefully between technical challenges that can be delegated and adaptive challenges that require collective wisdom. She notes that a hooked nervous system shrinks a leader's perspective, making every issue feel like an immediate crisis.

To combat this burnout, she advocates for creating an intentional space between a stimulus and a response. She suggests visualizing this pause, checking in on one's physical reactions, and practicing self-talk to stay grounded before making critical decisions.

Leaders as Architects of Change offers powerful strategies on adaptive leadership, equity-driven organizational research, and sustainable growth. This episode of Focused is brought to you by Bullseye. To streamline your walkthrough feedback, coach your instructional team, and build a culture of growth, visit Bullseye to schedule your free sponsored Lunch & Learn!

In this episode of FocusED, Katrina Huels joins Joe and TJ from TheSchoolHouse302 to discuss her book, Transformational Tools for Special Educators: How to Beat Burnout and Become the Best at What You Do, sharing practical strategies on how school leaders can support staff growth and prevent rampant burnout.

Katrina explains that over 50% of K-12 teachers and 40% of administrators experience frequent burnout, noting that special education faces the highest vacancy rates in the entire education system.

She points out that stress management and emotional intelligence must be treated as core professional competencies rather than soft skills or temporary wellness trends.

Katrina highlights affect labeling—or "naming it to tame it"—as a vital self-awareness tool, explaining how checking in with an app like How We Feel shifts brain activity out of emotional reactivity and into cognition.

She warns against relying on school breaks as a coping mechanism, noting that educators need daily, actionable tools to manage stress throughout the entire school year.

Katrina mentions that pairing quick check-ins with under five minutes of targeted breathwork, such as box breathing or alternate nostril breathing, rapidly restores composure and clarity.

She suggests that leaders commit to implementing a single emotional intelligence tool daily for 30 days before reviewing the reflection data to see measurable improvements in job satisfaction and calm.

Katrina emphasizes that cultivating a calm, regulated teacher presence directly enhances classroom management and boosts student academic performance.

She advises administrators to introduce these strategies through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) or guiding coalitions, while advocating for emotional intelligence training to be embedded in teacher prep programs.

Katrina closes by reminding leaders that equipping staff with internal tools restores their connection to their core purpose, helping them maintain their passion for teaching across a long career.

This episode of FocusED is brought to you by Bullseye. If you're doing walkthroughs without the support and tracking of Bullseye, head to bullseye.education/302 to schedule your sponsored Lunch and Learn today.